Not Prepared for the Love

This morning I preached at the Fayetteville United Methodist Church, from which I retired nine years ago.    I have been back a number of times before,  but none were like this.

Fayetteville UMC July 9, 2017

I was not expecting the warm and genuine welcome we received.   I was unprepared for the outpouring of love and hugs and appreciation.   I was overwhelmed by the positive feedback and comments about my sermon.   I had forgotten that unique and special connection between a beloved pastor and a congregation.  I was definitely that at the Fayetteville UMC today!

Perhaps most surprising of all were the comments from the new people whom I had never met before. They may have been the most enthusiastic of all!   One stranger came up to me and said forthrightly: "Well, I am impressed!"

I am not writing this blog to pat myself on the back.  I am writing it because I was so taken back to be filled with such joy.   Maybe there is nothing else quite like it---the relationship between pastor and congregation--and to be deeply appreciated for what you do, and for your effort.

On the way home, Gerry and I were discussing all this dynamic.  He commented, "Well, I suppose it is harder to sustain that, week after week."

I  am confident that I could do the sustaining for the worship part of ministry.  My greatest joy and fulfillment has always come from the research and preparation for preaching,  the writing of the sermon, and the delivery to the congregation.   But the truth is, those things make up a fairly small percentage of everything involved in ministry.

It is the other stuff that I could not sustain----the constant expectations,  the never ending demands,  the endless meetings,  the challenges of parsonage living,  the constant worry about finances,  the unexpected emergency,  the all consuming nature of the work and always being on call,  and on and on it goes.

Honestly, if ministry was about delivering a passionate sermon,  I think I could hit it out of the park every week.    But I am not very patient when it comes to the slow slow progress of change in the church.  I don't love committee work.   I am not really a party line person. I am not very good at confrontation.

I do not regret retiring.  I needed to do that for myself, to enjoy some years of relaxation,  to make family the priority, to live in our own home.

But today served for me as a reminder of all the wonderful parts of being a pastor.  It reminded me that indeed, my ministry there did make a difference at the time.

And there is really no greater blessing than that!